United Brotherhood of Carpenters Local Union 2012 President John Brown (left) gives Gov. Markell a tour of the classrooms at the new Carpenters Union Training Center in Georgetown.

The new state-of-the-art Carpenters Union Training Center next to Del Tech’s Georgetown campus cost $9 million to build. It features equipment and technology that’s very similar to what carpentry apprentices will use when they complete their four years of training and get out onto job sites. The building was built to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver certification standards. It was built with insulated metal panels and geothermal heating and cooling, and also has solar panels on the roof to make the building more sustainable.

The training center, which will train members of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters Local Union 2012, is receiving a lot of financial support from the regional union based in Philadelphia. The support includes $20,000 worth of free training to apprentices. Governor Jack Markell, who was among the dignitaries who attended today’s ribbon-cutting ceremony, said that the training center will ensure that the carpenter workforce will be well-qualified to work in the construction industry. He says a great workforce is the key to creating a strong economy for years to come.